Railway car side construction



July 16, 1968 c. E. JOHANSSON RAILWAY CAR SIDE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-S Filed Nov. 22, 1965 CARL E. JOHANSSON July 16, 1968 c. E. JOHANSSON 3,392,684

RAILWAY CAR SIDE CONSTRUCTION /Z5 31 a 3.1 a .2; g, \d

INVENTOR. CARL E. JOHANSSON BY v :7

United States Patent O 3,392,684 RAILWAY CAR SIDE CONSTRUCTION Carl E. .lohansson, South Euclid, Ohio, assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 508,950 8 Claims. (Cl. 105-409) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A side sill construction for a railway car having an intermediate section in the door area and end sill sections on either side of the intermediate section extending to the ends of the railway car. The intermediate section has an inverted T-shape thereby forming an upstanding leg which gives lateral support to the bottom of thedoor post, laterally supports but, does not cover the flooring, rigidifies the overall sill construction in the door area and to which a portion of the bottom of the door post is attached.

This invention relate to a railway car construction and more particularly to a sill construction for railway car sides.

Specifically, this invention is directed to a side sill construction for a railway car inwhich the side sill is formed as a sectional unit. The prior art designs of railway car side constructions ordinarily employ a unitary side sill angle which extends along the lower edge of the car side wall. The prior art side sill typically had an upstanding flange which was secured to the lower edge of the side wall. In forming the door opening, it was necessary to make a cut in the flange of the sill angle which seriously weakened the car side construction at the door opening.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a side sill construction which eliminates the necessity for making a cut in the sill angle.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sill construction in which the sill is formed in sectional units which include an intermediate section spanning the door opening with the intermediate section being T-shaped in cross section.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a construction for railway cars which comprises a side wall having a door opening formed therein, door posts on either side of the door opening, and a sectional side sill comprising an intermediate sill section and end sill sections. The intermediate section spans the door opening and is of greater length than the spacing between the door posts with the intermediate section terminating at the door posts at either end thereof. The end sill sections extend from either end of the side wall to a point adjacent the terminal ends of the intermediate section and are secured in end-to-end relationship thereto. Each of the end sill sections includes an upright leg extending along the length thereof and secured to the side wall. The intermediate section has a substantially inverted T-shaped cross section with the upstanding leg of the T being laterally spaced from the upright leg on the end sections and extends vertically into the door opening. Each of the door posts includes a portion thereof extending into the door opening with the portion of the door post being laterally offset from the side wall and coplanar with the leg of the intermediate section thereby forming a planar abutment surface for the door gaskets.

Other objects and features will become more apparent upon a complete reading of the following description.

In the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a railroad car;

"ice

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a portion of a railroad car indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The car includes a side wall 11 composed of metal sheathing 12 and intermediate side posts 13. A door opening, indicated generally at 14, is provided in the side wall and is framed by door posts 15, 16. The metal sheathing 12 and the posts 13, 15 and 16 are all secured to a side plate, indicated generally at 17, the precise configuration of which forms no part of this invention.

A side sill embodying the instant invention is employed in connection with the above described side wall structure. This side sill is sectional in construction and comprises an intermediate section 20 and end sections 21, 22. The intermediate section is in the form of an inverted T in cross section and includes an upstanding leg 23 and supporting portions or legs 24, 25. The intermediate section is positioned in the door opening 14 with the leg 23 extending vertically into the opening. The intermediate section 20 has integral extensions making it of greater length than the spacing between the door posts 15, 16 so that the intermediate section overlaps the door posts as is apparent from FIG. 4. The end sill sections 21, 22 are formed from angles which include an upstanding flange or leg 26 and a support flange or leg 27. The width of the support leg 27 is substantially equal. to the combined widths of the legs 24, 25. Each of the end sills extends from a corner of the railway car to a point immediately adjacent the terminal ends of the intermediate section 20. The intermediate section is secured to the end sill sections by welding or similar means to form a rigid sill along the length of the side Wall. A reinforcing channel 28 may also be secured to the sectional sill construction to add added strength to the construction.

The metal sheathing 12 is secured by means such as rivets 29 to the upstanding leg 26 on the end sills 21, 22. In similar fashion, the intermediate posts, which ordinarily are Z-shaped in cross section, also are secured 'by rivets to the leg 26.

The door posts may be similar in configuration to the Z-shape of the intermediate posts. As shown in FIG. 4, the door posts 16 include one arm 30 which is secured by rivets 31 to the end of the upstanding leg 25 on the end sill section 21. The other arm 32 of the door post is laterally offset by an intermediate section 33 of the door post and extends inwardly of the door opening. A similar construction is employed in connection with the door post 15.

As viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4, the leg 23 of the integral extension of the intermediate sill section 20 is laterally spaced from the metal sheathing 12 and the upstanding leg 26 on the end sills 21, 22 by the length of the leg 25. The lateral offset of the arm 32 on the door post 16 is substantially equal to the offset of the leg 23 so that the leg 23 of the integral extensions and arm 32 are in coplanar relationship. The upper end of the leg 23 may be secured by weld material or similar means to the lower end of the arm 32 thereby to present a unitary construction between the arm and leg.

It will be apparent that the combination of the upstanding leg 23 and the arms 32 extending into the door opening provides an abutment surface around the periphery of the door opening against which the gasket normally carried by a plug door may abut thereby to seal the opening. The door opening construction is completed by corner gussets 34, 35.

It is contemplated with the above described sill con- 3 struction that the flooring 36 normally employed in the rail-road car will rest on the supporting leg 27 of the end sills 21, 22 and the coplanar supporting leg 24 of the intermediate sill section 20. The flooring extends inwardly of the legs 27 and 24 to a point immediately adjacent the inner edges of the intermediate posts 13 and the upstanding leg 23.

It is my desire to be restricted only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A construction for railway cars comprising:

a side wall having a door opening formed therein;

door posts on either side of said door opening;

a sectional side sill comprising an intermediate sill section and end sill sections extending along the length of said side wall;

said intermediate section having integral extensions making said intenmediate section of greater length than the spacing between said door posts;

said door posts being secured directly to said integral extensions at the lower ends thereof;

said end sill sections extending from either end of said side Wall to the ends of said intermediate section whereat said end and intermediate sections are in substantial end-to-end alignment;

means securing said end sill sections to said intermediate section;

each of said end sill sections having an upright leg extending along the length thereof secured to said side wall;

said intermediate section having a substantially inverted T-shaped cross section with the upstanding leg of said T being laterally spaced inwardly from said upright leg on said end sections and extending vertically into the door opening.

2. A construction for railway cars comprising:

a side wall having a door opening formed therein;

do or posts on either side of said door opening;

a sectional side sill comprising an intermediate sill sec tion and end sill sections extending along the length of said side wall;

said intermediate section having integral extensions making said intermediate section of greater length than the spacing between said door posts;

said end sill sections extending from either end of said side wall to the ends of said intermediate section;

means securing said end sill sections to said intermediate section;

each of said end sill sections having an upright leg extending along the length thereof secured to said side wall;

said door posts including a portion thereof extending into said door opening, with said portion being laterally otfset from said side wall and coplanar with said leg of said intermediate section with the lower ends of said portion being secured directly to said integral extensions of said intermediate section;

said door posts including a further portion in engagement with and secured to said leg on said end sections;

said intermediate section having a substantially inverted T-shaped cross section with the upstanding leg of said T being laterally spaced inwardly from said upright leg on said end sections and extending vertically into the door opening.

3. The construction of claim 2 wherein said intermediate section and said end sections include coplanar supporting surfaces adapted to support-the flooring in the railway car. V p I 4. The construction of claim 2 and including means securing said portion of said door posts to said leg of said intermediate section.

5. The construction of claim 4 wherein the height of said leg on said intermediate section is less than the height of said legs on said end sections and substantially equal to the thickness of the flooring.

6. The construction of claim 2 wherein said intermediate section and said end sections. include coplanar supporting surfaces adapted to support the flooring of the railway car.

7. The construction of claim 2 wherein said door posts are substantially Z-shaped .in cross section with one arm of each of said door posts extending into said door opening and being coplanar with said leg of said intermediate section.

8. A construction for railway cars comprising:

a side wall having a door opening formed therein;

door posts on either side of said door opening;

a sectional side sill comprising an intermediate sill section and end sill sections extending along the length of said side wall;

said intermediate section having integral extensions making said intermediate section of greater length than the spacing between said door posts;

said door posts being secured on said extensions at the lower ends thereof;

said end sill sections extending from either end of said side wall to the ends of said intermediate section;

means securing said end sill sections to said intermediate section;

each of said end sill sections having an upright leg extending along the length thereof secured to said side wall;

said intermediate section having a substantially inverted T-shaped cross section with the upstanding leg of said T being laterally spaced inwardly from said upright leg on said end sections and extending vertically into the door opening;

said door posts being substantially Z-shaped in cross section and including a portion thereof extending into said door opening, with said portion being laterally offset from said side wall and coplanar with said leg of said intermediate section;

means securing said portion of said door posts to said leg of said intermediate section;

said door posts including a further portion in engagement with and secured to said leg on said end sections;

said intermediate section and said end sections including coplanar supporting surfaces adapted to support the flooring in the railroad car;

and the height of said leg on said intermediate section being less than the height of said legs on said end sections and substantially equal to the thickness of the flooring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,221,960 4/1917 Bethune 1O5-409 2,686,480 8/1954 JOhanSSOn 409 2,686,481 8/1954 Madland 105418 2,813,496 11/1957 Shaver l05409 DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner. 

